Hello! This was going to be a Monday post, but it was my daughter’s birthday! She turned 9, then Tuesday was crazy and yesterday was mine and my husband’s 4th anniversary. We were both really sick and it was awful! But we were together. So here we are on Thursday!
Our anniversary was pretty stressful this year being sick and being parents gets pretty tough. Our youngest is 3, so of course that ball of energy was crazy yesterday! In the spirit of being stressed I wanted to talk about it. More specifically, ways to help reduce stress as a parent!
Dealing with Stress
First, having a balance is important. You need to know your boundaries, and you need to know the best way for you to establish them. This looks different for everyone, just as everyone’s stress levels are different as well. It’s like a tattoo and pain tolerance, everyone has a spot that hurts more or less.
Second, you need to make sure that you have outlets! If you are only taking in stress and not having any positive outlet for it, it gets pent up and just awful. This terrible burning in your stomach that feels like an unwinding rage can overwhelm you!
Third, give yourself a break. This one is important guys, if you are a parent maybe you feel bad that your kiddos stress you out because you love the crap outta them. Newsflash, this happens to EVERYONE. Do not feel bad that your kids have you stressed, it will only make things worse. Accept that you are allowed to have feelings and find ways to alleviate them.
Relieving Your Stress
When I do not do anything for my stress as a parent, it gets all bent out of shape and can cause a bad reaction. Yelling when I shouldn’t have, or uncomfortable burning sensations in my gut that really suck. So how can we fix this issue? Here are some ideas.
· Delve into your hobby!
o You don’t have to spend hours doing this, but an easy 10 to 15 minutes of something you thoroughly enjoy that also does not feel like work can do measures of good!
· Get a punching bag.
o Yeah, you read that right. Of course, we don’t feel like punching our children. If you do then you really need to seek some help, but stress is a fickle thing. The motions of using a punching bag get you active and gives you an outlet for the anger that can come off from the stress you feel.
· Do a workout.
o Doing a physical thing with your body really helps you to focus that energy on something positive. It’s good for you physically, but it is also good for emotional balance too! This does not have to be an intense HIIT workout, or an hour long run or anything crazy either, don’t overwhelm yourself, remember destressing is the key here!
· Meditation or Yoga.
o If you have read posts of mine before you know that meditation is not my strong suit, though I do certainly try it out with some other mindful activities, but yoga can be just as effective!
· Get enough sleep.
o If your tank is empty and running on just a few measly hours of sleep, that needs to change! Sleep is a vital thing for your body physically and mentally. As someone with bipolar, sleep affects my very personality. If I don’t get enough, it is usually a pretty bad day. Even if you don’t have a mental health issue, sleep is so important guys.
· Self-care
o I talk about self-care a lot! And it is such a necessary thing for moms and dads, and even non-parents. Incorporate self-care into a daily habit because it will save your life! Not to mention your sanity!
The Takeaway
You shouldn’t feel bad for the stress you feel as a parent, it really is common. Making yourself feel bad for the negativity will only make you feel worse in the long run. Accept that it is there and help yourself do better.
Take care of yourself because at the end of the day, even this is for your kids. Teaching them to deal with stress in a positive way can give them better tools for their future, and they deserve as bright of a future as they can have. And it starts at home.
They learn by example, and that becomes clearer to me all of the time with my own children. If you find that you feel all alone in your stress as a parent, you should reach out to some support groups. If you are more introverted, this can easily be an online thing rather than in-person. Baby steps guys, take care of you so you can more effectively take care of those beautiful beings you love so much.
Best regards,
~TKNott~
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